Lonely Journeys Became Adventures When We Met
by The Queen of Double Standards
Summary: Rin's always travelled on her own, but she's picked up a stray, a young girl named Miki who insists on travelling with her. Together the two embark on journeys, but their secrets keep a wall between them no matter how interwoven they become. MikiRin yuri
1. A Deal

Chapter One

A Deal

Rin sighed as she took a seat at a bar. She was too young for them to actually serve her, of course, but people tended to be nice to a young girl travelling alone and would let her sit for a while. Sometimes she'd get lucky and they'd give her some water or juice, and, sometimes, she even managed to get some food. Rarely did she get anything at all, however. Luckily, today was a good day. Rin quietly thanked the bartender and grasped the mug of water he'd just blessed her with, listening to the conversations around her despite her lack of interest in them, wishing to hear one voice in particular.

"Is this seat taken?" came a girl's voice beside her, slightly winded.

"No," replied Rin, casting a quick glance at her.

The girl had a powerful air around her despite her bedraggled appearance. She had her plum-coloured hair tied back, and she obviously was rich enough considering it evidently wasn't her natural hair colour yet her true colour could not be seen at the roots. Rin resisted the urge to snort and the girl's blind following of the newest craze of odd hair colours. Her long, dark lashes were probably the work of some fancy mascara brand, because there was no way to have such perfect eyelashes naturally. Her skin was extremely pale and flawless other than the bright red flush on her cheeks that revealed that she'd been running. Her eyes held green contacts, which seemed more than comical against her purple hair. Even though she obviously must have put a lot of work into her appearance, she had a hood pulled over her head. Rin wished she could say that she knew everything there was to know about that girl from the one glance, but, considering how misleading her own tiny appearance was, she felt she had no place to judge her.

Rin soon lost interest and began listening to conversations again, trying to pick up the one voice she wanted to hear.

"You look shady."

Rin coolly turned to the speaker, whose mature voice had her expecting some punk trying to take advantage of a helpless little girl. Instead, she saw that it was the girl she'd just spoken to, a girl who looked only a couple years or so older than her. Her sharp retort died on her tongue.

"Are you dangerous?" the girl questioned, still standing there.

Rin stared back at her, trying to figure out what the girl was trying to do. Then, slowly, cautiously, she replied, "No."

"That's good," said the girl, leaping up onto the seat beside Rin, who continued staring at her cautiously. "Because I thought we could strike a deal, and I need to know that you're safe before I offer it up to you."

"I'm not interested in any deals," Rin replied shortly. "I have enough on my plate already."

The girl smirked at Rin as a waiter arrived immediately to serve the stranger. "It doesn't look like you have much, actually. In fact, I see no plate in sight."

Rin scowled. Stupid girl. "Leave me alone," she growled, turning away.

But she could help but turn around when she caught the scent of the warm food placed in front of the new arrival. It wasn't like Rin hadn't eaten in days. It was_ that_ she hadn't eaten in days. She was absolutely famished, and the people in this area weren't very generous, other than the bartender. She stared at the girl cautiously as the stranger pushed the plate over to her.

"Have it," the strange girl offered. "And, in exchange, listen to my proposition."

Rin inspected the girl's face carefully, but she knew that she was in no position to refuse. So, she accepted the dish and started taking slow, delicate bites, though all she wanted to do was stuff it all into her mouth all at once.

"The contacts are kind of overkill, you know," she commented without restraint, feeling the need to insult the girl in order to make up for her weakness in giving in to the offering of food.

"What contacts?" she asked as she retied her hair and lifted her hood back up. Rin raised an eyebrow at her, but she didn't seem to notice. "Oh, right, the green ones. Yeah, well, you know, I thought they would look cute."

Rin rolled her eyes, but she kept her comments to herself. Never bite the hand that feeds. She took a swallow of her drink and noted that this bar was incredibly full today. She recognised a few faces, but most were those of strangers, and the person she was looking for wasn't here.

"So, anyway, first off, you're a traveller, am I right?" the girl wondered.

"Yeah," Rin replied carefully, averting her eyes from the crowd and back toward the girl.

"Well, I want to travel," the girl continued. "But, my parents aren't very supportive of my wish."

_Great,_ Rin thought. _A spoiled little girl wanting to defy her parents._

The girl rambled one confidently. "So, I figured that, maybe, if I had someone with real experience to take me along, they might be more open to the idea."

"You're lying," Rin cut her off with a sigh, seeing no point in dancing this dance.

The girl froze, then she smiled slyly. "I should have known you'd catch on."

"You want me to kidnap you," Rin continued on, bored already. "You want to just disappear one day. I'd believe you had your parents permission, and you'd be long gone before they'd notice."

"Correct," said the girl, still smiling. "I like you. What's your name?"

"Rin," the blonde replied.

"I'm Miki. So, will you be my travelling companion?"

"I see no way in which this arrangement benefits me," Rin replied haughtily. In truth, she really wanted nothing to do with the girl. But, at the same time, a part of her begged her to take the girl along. She'd been travelling alone for years, and she was well due for some proper human interaction, as her boss told her every time they met.

"I'll pay for all our meals and lodgement. Is that acceptable?" Miki wondered.

Rin paused in consideration, staring at Miki's outstretched hand. Did she really need the burden of taking care of this girl? In her line of work, it was easiest to be alone. She stared at the girl, whose coloured eyes glittered expectantly, a smirk on her face as if she already knew the answer. Then, Rin took her hand and replied, "Deal."

**Author's Note: This story will be updating every Wednesday. Mm this was a oneshot by the same name, and it's more shoujo-ai than yuri but shoujo-ai takes less characters due to the limit. I'm tired after being silent all day so that's all I have to say. See you next week!**


	2. A Bed

Chapter Two

A Bed

Rin walked silently down the town's streets, listening to the faint echoing of footsteps behind her. She pretended not to notice for a while, seeing how long the stalker would continue pursuing her. After some time passed, she froze and said, irritated, "I know you're there."

After a brief moment of silence, Miki laughed and entered from around the corner she'd been hiding behind while she'd followed Rin. Rin cast her a withering looked as Miki smiled coyly. "I should have known you'd notice."

"You're going to have to try a lot harder than that if you're planning on sneaking around," Rin agreed with a roll of her eyes. "Now get lost. I can't have you with me right now."

"I'm not sure if I trust that you'll come back to me," Miki argued with a pout, displeased with Rin's cold attitude.

"We made a deal didn't we?" questioned Rin. Miki nodded. Rin scowled, annoyed. "Well, obviously, I'll be coming back, then." Miki smiled a little, which merely annoyed Rin more. "I'll be back within half an hour. Why don't you go get the horse ready? I'd like to get to the next town before night falls."

Miki glanced up at the setting sun then back at Rin, amused by Rin's idea that that was possible. Rin rolled her eyes and continued down the street, calling back, "Don't follow me. Go get the horse ready."

When she glanced back to be sure the girl had left, she was satisfied to see that she was alone again. Good. She didn't want Miki to see her in work. Even she didn't like seeing herself at work.

Half an hour later, the job was done, and Rin returned back to the stable to find Miki waiting. The abnormally green-haired girl smiled at her and held out the reins, which Rin swiftly took. Without another word, she leapt onto her horse and offered a hand down to Miki to help the girl up. Once they were settled, Rin led the horse outside and slowly made her way along the road. Miki caught her mood and stayed silent until they were outside of the town. Then, finally, the stray dared to talk.

"How long have you been travelling?" Miki wondered, her arms looped around Rin's torso as they rode on the back of Rin's horse. The beautiful creature plopped along the trodden roads of the town in the early autumn evening, bouncing them rhythmically on its back. Rin wasn't exactly pleased at their position, but there wasn't much else she could do.

"Four years," Rin replied curtly, not feeling the need to participate in idle conversation.

"All by yourself?"

"Yes. Travelling is best done alone."

"Is that so? Doesn't it get lonely?"

"Not at all," scoffed Rin. "In my line of work, I normally have at least one person hoping to be rid of me, so it's best not to draw other people into it."

"Oh dear," laughed Miki, her breath forming puffs of air beside Rin's face. "Does that mean my life is now in danger?"

"Most definitely. Exciting enough for you, princess?"

"I can think of something more exciting," Miki murmured teasingly, narrowing her eyes prettily as Rin peered down at her. Rin scowled, but there was no mistaking the rosy blush on her cheeks deepening past the cold. This girl confused her so much; after all, blushing at a girl was unreasonable. Yet, at the same time, reminded her of someone she'd known in her past.

"You're a strange girl," Rin replied, turning her gaze back ahead of her. She tried to shoo those memories away. She had no use for them anymore.

"Am I?" the girl wondered. "Or are you the one who is strange?"

Rin snorted in contempt. "I'm perfectly normal, unlike you."

"Yes, I guess you are," Miki replied wistfully. "It is quite normal for people to live in denial, am I correct?"

"It's too late for these mind games, princess," Rin retorted. "I don't start thinking until the sun rises again in the morning."

"Sometimes, thinking too much does nothing more than cloud our vision," Miki replied nonchalantly, puffing out clouds of crystals for show and peering at Rin in the corner of her eye, her eyes a beautiful, dark honey colour in this darkness. Rin had to wonder when the girl had removed her purple contacts and switched to that colour, but she didn't bother voicing her opinion aloud.

"I don't know how someone can't think too much when you go spewing out random nonsense every other word," Rin informed her. "Do you ever think before you talk?"

"Only when I'm with unimportant people," she replied.

Rin said no more in response, and they fell into silence, with nothing but their breathing and the sound of the horse's hooves against the frost-bitten ground to fill the nighttime silence.

. . .

Rin glanced up at the crescent moon, judging its position, which informed her that it was well past midnight. They'd made it a good distance away from the town and were now travelling through a forest. Rin had hoped to get to the next town over by this point. She glanced back at Miki, whose eyes shone with excitement and showed no sign of exhaustion. As such, Rin decided that it was safe to continue.

After a few more hours, Miki started to struggle to keep herself awake, as did Rin. Rin felt oddly worried about the girl and was about to ask if she wanted to stop for the night when she saw lights ahead. Instead, she requested that Miki tighten her grip and kicked her horse gently in the side to tell it to speed up. The horse obeyed, swiftly bringing them out of the forest and into a town where a few lanterns still burned in windows.

Stopping outside an inn, Rin leapt off the horse and offered a hand to Miki, who groggily accepted it and stumbled down. Rin left the horse with a boy who rushed out to help them and led the girl inside. There, she deposited a couple silver coins on the front table and accepted a key to a room. Miki could barely keep herself up, so she ended up having to wrap the blankets around the groggy girl. Then, Rin noticed that she'd habitually asked for a room with only one bed. She sighed and resignedly crawled in beside Miki, slowly falling into a gentle slumber with Miki's rhythmic breathing beside her.

**Author's Note: Quick correction, this is updating Tuesdays, not Wednesdays. I know the chapters aren't very long for this fic, I'm sorry.**


	3. A Job

Chapter Three

A Job

Rin believed that Miki was asleep when she sat up in bed so early in the morning that it was still dark out, but Miki had trained herself to stir each time someone entered her room at home and, as such, woke the moment Rin did. She decided to play with Rin, though, and pretended to be asleep as the girl gently stepped out of bed. Miki opened one eye slightly to watch the blonde girl gather some things from around the room.

"_We made a deal, didn't we? Well, obviously, I'll be coming back, then."_

With Rin's words in her head, Miki listened to the door open and shut as Rin disappeared into the night. She knew Rin would notice if she tried to follow, so she'd have to just trust the girl. She knew Rin would return.

That didn't stop her from sitting up restlessly, watching the door, listening to the creaking of the inn and jumping at each and every sound while she waited for Rin to return. It wasn't safe for a girl to be left alone. She'd been taught that since the day she was born, and she wasn't about to forget it anytime soon.

. . .

When Rin returned, Miki's eye colour had changed to a bright, tangerine orange. Half of her hair had become a yellow similar to Rin's own, only it looked obscenely unnatural, closer to a lemon's colour than the natural blonde of Rin's hair. Overall, with her bright orange eyes, half her head yellow and the other green, she was quite a laughable sight. Rin eyed her curiously, and Miki stated, "I needed a change."

Rin rolled her eyes. Spoiled little rich girl. Most people couldn't afford to dye their hair on a whim. Rin knew various girls who saved up their money solely to dye their hair an unnatural colour. Rin simultaneously found this fad intelligent and idiotic, the hair colours being very unappealing along with eye-catching. Were they really so desperate to have someone take interest in them, even were it to be in a negative light where she was made into a joke for looking so ridiculous? Rin figured that it might be important to some girls, but, to her, there was nothing worse that could ever happen to her. She never wanted to get married. Being locked down by a man was a horrible nightmare to her. She'd fought it her entire life. She'd gone so far as to cut her once-long blonde hair down to short locks. Perhaps these girls had been trained to think differently?

"_Rin, one day, I'll make you my wife, okay?"_

"_That's no fun, though. I don't want to be married. Let's just be friends, forever!"_

Those voices echoed in Rin. She pushed them away. She didn't want those terrible memories anymore. They meant nothing to her now. She had a life beyond that, those soulless promises made when she was young. "You could probably be married by now if you wished to be," Rin remarked, splashing the water Miki had carried into the room onto her face to wash away the sweat before Miki tainted it with her dye. She needed to stop thinking of those memories, and Miki was the easiest ditraction.

"What makes you think I want to be married?" Miki wondered, beginning to spread the yellow to the other side of her head.

"Why else would you work so hard for the latest fashion?" Rin questioned. "It can't be fun to re-dye your hair over and over again."

"On the contrast," Miki laughed. "I find it quite enjoyable."

"I feel as though a sheltered life must be very boring if _that_ entertains you," Rin stated, unimpressed.

"You're so mean," laughed Miki, smiling at the girl. "For your information, the life of a rich girl is much more difficult than that of a poor girl."

"Is that so?" Rin asked, her tone mocking.

"Of course," Miki stated haughtily, her eyes narrowing at the challenge in Rin's gaze. "Rich girls constantly have to deal with the attentions of males. They pay much less attention to those who are poor."

Rin, having no wish to ever get married, could understand this point of view; however, having lived as a 'poor girl' for the beginning of her life, she couldn't help but find her opinion a little biassed, just as Miki's was. "Well, in any case, I'd like to get going, so could you hurry it up?"

"You're such a sourpuss," Miki sighed. "I'm going as fast as I can." She cast Rin a sidelong glance and a flirtatious smile. "Perhaps you'd like to help me?"

Rin rolled her eyes and bowed like a knight would to his princess, taking Miki's hand gently in her and staring seriously into her eyes, before informing her that, "Nothing would make me less happy."

Miki, her cheeks flushed and her heartbeat racing treacherously, pouted, not liking getting a taste of her own flirtatious medicine. "Then you'll have to wait."

Rin smirked and sat back on the bed, putting her hands behind her head as she stared at the ceiling, waiting for Miki to finish making herself over once again.

. . .

"Thank you, that's very kind of you," Miki said, bowing her head politely to the man who handed the fruits over to her, landing two extra oranges for the pair. Rin passed over the money, begrudgingly due to her discontent in Miki's less-than-subtle flirtations used to win over the merchant. Turning away, Rin caught the blurred object that came into her line of vision. She glanced down at the orange, now in her hands. "Breakfast."

"Is this what you meant by buying meals?" Rin wondered.

"Maybe," Miki said, smiling coyly at Rin. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Not particularly, but I doubt you'll be able to do that for every meal of the day, especially if we're working in the same town often."

"What do we do, anyway?" Miki wondered, grabbing Rin's hand and pulling the girl along with her as, carrying the tangy fruit in her teeth, she proceeded to climb up a mountain of hay bales, sitting on the top and gazing around herself at the people below.

Rin tossed the orange to her partner, who held it while the blonde climbed upward, and took a seat beside her at the top of the pile, putting them rather high above the crowds walking around outside, opening their stalls for the day. She wasn't sure why she'd followed, or why Miki had climbed up in the first place, but she'd done it, anyway. "It's not what _we_ do; it's was _I_ do."

"Okay, what do _I_ do?" Miki replied, grinning impishly at Rin.

"You get us food, and I do my job," Rin replied coolly.

"And your job is . . . ?" Miki left her question open, peeling her orange while she waited to Rin to answer it. Juice squirted out of the brightly-coloured fruit as her nail punctured it. She scowled at her sticky fingers, fearing brushing them off on her tunic for fear of dirtying them further.

Rin had already easily peeled the fruits and had a piece in her mouth already. As she chewed, she stated, "That's of no importance to you."

Miki pouted but let it slide for a moment. She leaned toward Rin, causing the girl to look at her rather than the crowd. The cherry-haired girl opened her mouth and stared at Rin expectantly. When Rin looked at her with a disdainful and quizzical expression, she closed her mouth and stated, "Share. I'm hungry."

"You have your own," the blonde said.

Miki pouted and withdrew, returning to peeling the citrus fruit. She stuck up her nose and, as the brat she was, said, "You're looking for a Miss Yukari Yuzuki."

Rin jumped, startled. She didn't know how Miki could've ever known that name. Miki was quite pleased with herself, and Rin's reaction had been enjoyable enough for her. That would satisfy her, for now, at least. So, before Rin could start her interrogation, Miki flicked out a photograph, the aforementioned woman's name scrawled on the bottom in what Miki could only guess was Rin's horrible handwriting. "You really should pay closer attention when we're together. We rich girls are taught a trick or two to help defend ourselves from you thieving little poor girls."

Rin snatched back the photo and sharply barked, "Excuse me for not expecting you to be a thieving pickpocket, your highness."

Miki smiled innocently. "So, what do you need her for?"

Rin scowled. "Saying something as crude as my intentions for her is indecent." Having finished off her orange which Miki still worked on the peel of her own, Rin leaped down from the haystack and looked up to the rich girl. "And please keep in mind that romance does not solely exist between man and woman."

Miki's cheeks burned red, wondering if she'd properly interpreted the implications behind Rin's words. Miki continued to work away at her orange as Rin departed, disappearing into the crowd without another word more. Miki smirked. Well, in any case, teasing Rin would be a lot more fun from now on.

**Author's Note: The chapters are getting slightly longer as I go along. Soon, they'll be up to where I want them to be. I think. I definitely know where this story is going, so it'll be easy sailing from here on out! Reviews are appreciated!**


	4. A Whip

Chapter Four

A Whip

Miki wandered the streets aimlessly, having nowhere to go and unsure where she was in any case. She wished she'd watched where Rin had gone. It was lonely without her. Miki sighed and pouted before realizing that she shouldn't have been acting like that. Only rich girls acted like that, and she'd rather not be identified in such a way. Miki sighed again and peered around herself at the people running their stands. One caught her interest immediately. It was an older man, somewhere in his thirties and forties, and a younger girl around Miki's age. Miki glanced at the girl's hand, feeling undeniable grief when she saw the ring on the girl's ring finger. That explained the unhappiness Miki could see on the girl's face. Some poor trophy wife, a beautiful young creature to be caged away, bound by that ring to the man by her side.

"_I don't give a damn what you want!"_

"_Well I don't give a damn what you want, either!"_

A corner of Miki's mouth twitched and she felt heat rising in the same cheek. She screwed her eyes shut, pain coursing through her entire being. She didn't want to think about that, not now, not ever. It was in the past now.

Miki took a breath and continued walking, leaving that desolate girl behind. She had to distract herself, and there was only one thing she could think of to do that. She caught sight of a stall selling fine clothes, and the tender had no ring on his finger. Miki smiled and slunk over to his stall. She leaned on the counter, allowing the man to see down her shirt in the process, simply in order to catch his attention. It worked.

"I'm looking for a Miss Yukari Yuzuki. Have you heard of her?" she wondered, looking up at him through her long lashes.

"Of course I have," he stated. "Everyone knows Miss Yukari. Who I haven't heard of is you, Miss . . . ?" He trailed off, waiting for her to offer her name.

"Miki," she supplied, showing off the whites of her teeth as she smiled.

"Miss Miki," he finished. "Where are you from? I haven't seen you around here before."

"I'm travelling. My companion's gone off for but a moment to get us something to eat for lunch." She lied easily through her teeth. Never admit to being by yourself. Her parents had drilled that command into her head ever since she was a child.

"I see. And who is your companion?" She didn't miss his glance at her hand, verifying that no ring was present.

"The one I plan to wed," Miki stated reflexively, not enjoying contemplating the ideas that may have been running through his head. "Now, about Miss Yukari, would you happen to know where one might find her?"

"One might find her if she were to offer something to the man with the information," he said, obviously annoyed at her subtle rejection.

"And what might one offer to said man?" Miki countered, feeling anger flickering in her gaze. She truly wasn't a fan of men. They were always so cruel to poor, helpless little girls like her.

"Perhaps . . . ." And then he leaned over and whispered unspeakable things in Miki's hair, causing her anger to spike and red indignation to rise into her cheeks. Her hand raised into the air and slammed against the man's cheek. He stared at her, appalled that a _woman_ would treat a man in such a way.

"Learn to mind your tongue when speaking to a lady," she said coolly. "We are very sensitive creatures who may be set off by even the tiniest trigger. I thank you for your help today and I hope you'll regard me kindly next time we meet."

She turned, nose in the air, to leave. Miki was a well-bred lady, and she refused to accept such harassment from any man. Then, his hand wrapped around her wrist, halting her. She glared back at him and tugged sharply on her wrist, demanding to be freed, but he wouldn't release her.

"You little bitch," he hissed, veins pulsing on his forehead and his face reddening past the blow she'd landed on his face.

"Release me at once," she insisted haughtily. "I'll scream."

"No one will come for you," the man informed her. "You're just some lowly little brat."

"Do you have any idea who I am?" Miki hissed fervently, appalled by his behaviour. "One peep from me and my—"

She stopped, recalling that she wasn't at home anymore. Here, in this town, there was no one who would come to her rescue. It wasn't safe for a girl to be alone, especially not one as stunning as her. Even beyond the wretched colours of her hair and eyes, her beauty shone, and without a ring marking her as a married woman, she had nothing to protect her.

"You see?" the man sneered, leering at her. He tugged sharply on her wrist, causing her to stumble toward him. "Now how about we go discuss that payment I was wondering about?"

"No, I don't want that information for such a price!" Miki exclaimed, beginning to panic. She fought against him, but her strength was nothing compared to his. She cast her gaze out desperately, but anyone who was watching would swiftly avert their gaze when she locked her eyes on theirs. She let out an ear-piercing screech, but the passersby continued to act as though nothing was happening where the girl was. She felt tears in her eyes as she dug her heels into the dirt, trying to stop the man from pulling her. But it was hopeless. Finally, in one last hopeless attempt, she shrieked, "Rin!"

And the grip on her wrist was released as the man let out a harsh yell. Miki stumbled back onto the ground and quickly scrabbled to her feet, only to slip again on her gown. She pulled backward, dragging her dress on the dirt, trying to get as far as she could. Then, she was pulled to her feet from behind. She let out another shriek, but she was ignored by her captor. Then, the hands released her, and Rin came around to stand in front of Miki.

"Stay away," Rin ordered, her voice so authoritive that the people who'd begun to step toward the commotion froze at the small girl's order.

"You son of a bitch! Look what you did!" the man exclaimed, brandishing his wrist, around which a red mark had wrapped, breaking the skin at certain points. Rin twirled her whip's leather around her hand, not appearing to care in the least.

"You were bothering my charge," she stated. "Miki is my responsibility, and I will not tolerate any man putting his grubby hands on her."

"You watch your mouth, son," the man growled, glowering at Rin while Rin stared back at him, disgusted. Men truly were horrid beasts. A pretty young girl would come along, and they'd instantly become little more than animals.

"I've never watched it before now, and I still live to tell the tale," Rin stated coolly, rubbing her thumb along the whip's leather with one hand as the other hovered by her side, widening the barrier she'd formed around Miki, who had gone completely silent. Rin glanced back to be sure the girl was still with her, and, as she'd guessed, no one had dared take a step toward the bratty rich girl. "We'll be going now. I'd advise you to stay away from her from now on."

"The witch came on to me!" the man exclaimed. "You ask anyone here! That little slut was—"

A loud crack shattered the air as Rin's whip sliced before the man's face, close enough that the sharp wind it produced pushed his hair back. Gasps and terrified murmurs rippled through the gathered crowd, and even Miki had flinched and squeezed her eyes tightly shut at the sound.

"Please don't refer to her that way." Miki was rather thrown off by Rin's formal speech, even more so that it was joining the girl at the same moment that her eyes sparkled so angrily. "Miki is an honourable woman, and honourable women deserve to be treated with respect, not with this vulgar language of yours."

The man sneered at Rin, who stared evenly back at him. "I just call 'em as I see him, and you've got some work laid of for yourself with that little slut you plan to marry."

The man let out a sharp shriek as the leather slapped harshly against his arm, beads of blood slipping through the broken skin. Rin wrapped her whip absently around her hand and took Miki's trembling hand in her other. "Let's go, Miki."

"R-right," stuttered Miki, gripping on tightly to Rin. People moved out of their way as Rin led the rich girl through the crowd.

"One last thing," Rin said, stopping and looking back at the man, who was shouting profanities at her. "Before you go making accusations of my intentions for Miki, realize that I'm a girl, you idiot."

The man went silent, as did the crowd. Miki and Rin themselves didn't speak until they were safely hidden in their room in the inn. Rin sat Miki on the edge of the bed and disappeared for a moment before returning with a glass of water, which the other girl took with shaking hands.

"Where did you get the whip?" Miki asked after the silence became too much to bear.

"It's part of my line of work," Rin stated, her formality having vanished again as she continued to speak. "Besides, it's not safe to walk the streets without any way to protect yourself. Most people may think I'm a boy, but that doesn't mean I'm safe from everyone."

"I never thought you were a boy," Miki informed her.

"I'm aware of that."

There was more silence before Miki chose to break it again. "Did you find Miss Yukari?"

Rin wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Miss Yukari?" She didn't like the formality of such a term. It was far too polite for her liking. It reminded her of snobbish rich people. Then again, Miki was technically one of those people. "Yes, I found the Yukari girl. I already did my job. I was on my way back here when I heard you making a fuss."

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize for having some creep harass you like that."

Miki looked away sheepishly. "Actually, that was my own fault. I was trying to help, so I was looking for information on Miss Yukari, and I, um, was being far too friendly, and then he suggested something indecent to me and I lost my temper."

"I won't always be around to protect you, so you'll have to learn to remember who you are now. If I'm not around, you're on your own." Rin scowled. "In any case, my work is my work and I'd prefer if you'd keep out of it. It's not a job I'm particularly fond of, and you wouldn't be, either."

"I'm sorry," Miki repeated.

Rin didn't tell her to take it back that time.

**Author's Note: Has fanfiction been acting up for everyone or just me? Anyway, I think this story will be around twenty chapters or so total. Depends how crazy I get into writing it, but I have to plot all written out and I think that's how long it will be. Rin has a whip. Yep. 'Cause she's cool like that.**


	5. A Woman

Chapter Five

A Woman

"We're leaving," Rin informed Miki curtly after returning from the front desk on the inn to return their room key. She was still angry at the girl for trying to meddle in her job. "Now."

Miki, stilling sitting on their bed, stared at Rin, startled. Only minutes had passed since Rin had brought her here after that man had attacked her. Rin refused to meet the girl's inquisitive, fake orange eyes. "Already? Is it because—"

"Quite honestly, that's your own fault, so no," Rin cut off coldly. "I'm done my job, so we're leaving onto the next one."

"Alright," Miki mumbled, dejected by Rin's obvious anger toward her. She couldn't help adding in pitifully, "I was only trying to help."

"Well, I don't need your help," Rin snapped, her eyes flashing angrily and her grip tightening around her whip. She wanted nothing to do with Miki right now. That girl didn't understand anything. She was a spoiled brat. "I work fine on my own. You just get in the way. From now on, don't try to help me, got it?"

Then, Rin flinched, recalling saying something similar to someone else once. She pushed the thought away and coiled her whip tightly to fit it into her pocket. That didn't matter. It was a long time ago. She had no need to worry about it anymore.

"I understand," Miki mumbled, pouting as she began packing her various hair dyes and contact cases. "I won't do it again."

"Good," Rin said, gazing at the girl to verify that she was telling the truth. As far as Rin could tell, Miki meant it. Rin hoped that was true. It wasn't safe for Miki to get caught up in that line of work. Having packed all her things already, Rin said, "I'm going to go get Josephine ready. Meet me in the stable when you're ready."

"'Kay," Miki agreed, currently preoccupied with her work as Rin left. At least, that was what Rin thought, but, the moment she left the room, Miki, curious as ever, stuffed everything carelessly into a bag and followed the girl, unable to resist.

. . .

The moment Rin entered the stable, hands grabbed onto her, their arms wrapping tightly around her throat. Rin's hands leapt to her pocket, pulling out the whip at a moment's notice. Her captor hurriedly said, "Whoa, calm down, Rini. No need for that."

Rin felt herself droop almost immediately, knowing that voice quite well. Withholding a self-suffering sigh, she turned to face a woman with bright green hair. That woman beamed cheerfully at her. She was a woman in her early twenties or so, maybe a tad younger. Rin had never cared enough to ask despite having known her for four years or so.

"What are you doing here?" Rin questioned, turning to her horse. The woman had already lost her attention, evidently. Miki, peering in from the entrance of the stable, found this to be strange. She'd never really thought of Rin actually knowing people, but she obviously knew this woman well enough.

"How mean, Rini!" the woman exclaimed, pouting. "I knew your next job was here, so I came to make sure you were alright. Miss Yukari was a tricky set up. She's very well-known, and I wouldn't want my favourite little worker to get in any trouble. I can't believe that job was given to you, anyway."

"Well, Neru didn't want to do it," Rin replied coolly, bridling her horse as she spoke. "So I traded with her. All the ones you've been giving me recently are boring. The lower class are way too easy to work with. There's no challenge."

"I was trying to keep you away from dangerous cases, Rini," the woman pouted. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I prefer working with the upper class, so I'd appreciate if you'd give me work more suited to my skill level."

"Fine fine," the woman sighed, looking dejected. "I just wanted to take care of you. You're my little find, right? That's why you're my favourite." A thought seemed to come to her. "Oh, that's right! Rini, you've taken in a little stray as well, haven't you?"

"She's inconsequential," Rin replied, her eyes sparkling defensively despite her words. Miki wasn't sure how to take that.

"Is she going to be working with you?"

Rin whipped her gaze toward the woman, fully angered now. She herself didn't even understand why she hated hearing that so much, but she knew she never wanted to hear those words again. "She is never to know about my job," Rin hissed, gazing up threateningly at the woman, her hand which held her whip itching. The woman simply stared down at her. "You're not to get her involved in any of this. She's a good girl, and I don't plan on forcing her down the path I was forced to take. I'll pay for her myself."

"She's going to cause you trouble, Rini," the woman cautioned.

"Shut up," Rin snapped. "I know that already, but I made a deal with her, so that's that."

Miki smiled fondly, but that also made her feel guilty for listening in. So, striding into the stable as though she'd heard nothing, she announced, "Rin, I'm ready."

Rin looked past the woman to Miki, and the woman spun around, startled. Then, smiling, she said, "Why hello there. You must be Rini's stray. My name is Gumi. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"My name is Miki," Miki said politely. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Gumi."

"Nice to meet you, Mikin," said the upbeat woman. Mikin and Rini, huh? Not the most polite way to name her, but, considering that Miki had immediately started calling Rin simply Rin instead of Miss Rin, she couldn't say much. Then again, Rin had done the same to her.

"So how do you know Rin, Miss Gumi?" Miki asked innocently. Perhaps this woman would slip up and give her a hint on Rin's job.

"I'm her boss," Gumi replied, smiling broadly and wrapping her arms around the young girl. Rin tolerated it, though annoyance was clear on her face. "Personally, she's my favourite. How can you not love someone who looks so tiny and innocent and then–_BAM!_–out comes the whip?" She stared at Miki curiously. "That reminds me, Mikin. How old are you?"

"Fourteen," Miki replied. "Why?"

Gumi looked between her and Rin. "So they do grow bigger than her," the greenette said, looking at the difference of height between Rin and Miki. Rin slipped free of her boss's grip and returned to preparing the horse, no longer feeling the need to keep an eye on her. Still, she listened attentively, prepared to strike at any moment.

"So you're the one who gives Rin her assignments?" Miki wondered.

"Right! That reminds me!" Miki exclaimed. She handed Miki a piece of paper, which Rin swiftly snatched away and stuffed in her pocket, though not before Miki got a glance at it. Miki frowned and Gumi smiled. "That's your next job. Best of luck." Then, she passed three more sheets to Miki. Rin didn't notice it immediately, so Miki peered at each sheet, quickly running her eyes of it and taking a picture in her mind. Miki had always been good at remembering things. "Those are the next three after that. I promise to give you better jobs after that, okay? But these are older ones. They've been sitting around for a while, and we've been getting complaints, so we really have to get to them. No one else was willing to do the, but I'm sure you'll be fine."

Rin turned, panicking the moment she saw Miki peering at more sheets. She grabbed all three from the girl with a vicious glare at her. "I told you to stay out of it," she hissed.

"Don't blame me," Miki insisted, raising her hands in surrender. She pointed toward the greenette. "She's the one who gave them to me."

"Whatever," hissed Rin. "We're leaving now."

"Already?" Gumi questioned, pouting.

"Yes, already," Rin snapped, glaring at her boss. "Especially considering how you refuse to behave. Besides, I don't want to make my clients wait any longer than they have already."

Miki followed Rin's lead and climbed onto the saddle. Rin took a seat in front of her, and Miki's arms looped around the blonde's waist. Miki bade farewell to Gumi, who offered one in return. Rin said nothing as she led the horse out of the stable and into the town.

. . .

"Dammit," Rin muttered, shifting on the saddle one moment and returning to her previous position the next. She continued at this for a while as she tried to take something out of her pocket.

"We're headed to Azulia," Miki informed her, already knowing what the girl was attempting to do. "It's by the ocean."

"That far?" Rin sighed, annoyed. Miki smiled, amused that Rin was too annoyed to realize that she shouldn't have known that. "That's three days' travel from here. Are you sure that's the closest?"

"Fairly certain," Miki replied promptly with a self-satisfied smile."There's Azulia by the ocean, Rocheau in the mountains, Verden in the forest, and then Moil in the valley."

"That's a fair amount of travelling," Rin pointed out. "Are you sure you got that all right?"

"Well, she did say they were forgotten jobs," Miki countered. "It stands to reason that they'd be distant jobs that no one else wanted to take." The cherry-haired girl smiled. "That works out well for me, though. I wanted to travel, and now I'll get to see all sorts of places."

"I have a feeling this is going to be a long journey," Rin sighed.

"Aw, don't think of it like that." Miki's voice was right next to Rin's ear as she stated in a silken voice, "I prefer to think of it as an adventure."

**Author's Note: Slightly shorter chapter but at least ff has finally stopped acting up so I can post something. No update next week because I have finals the week after.**


	6. A Child

Chapter Six

A Child

"Sheesh, calm down, you brat," Miki snapped at the horse as it attempted to nip at her once again. Brush still in hand, Miki took a step back, scowling at it as she sunk into one hip. The girl and the horse continued staring off for a while, neither looking away. Miki narrowed her eyes further at the creature and stubbornly came to its side, keeping an eye on its head as she began brushing it again. The moment she saw its head swing toward her, she stepped back swiftly and glared at it. "You stupid horse! Stop that! Rin's busy, so you'll have to put up with me!" The horse snorted at her, refusing to give in. Miki, refusing to submit to a horse, returned to brushing her. Josephine behaved for a moment before Miki felt a terrible pain on her foot. With a screech, she quickly withdrew and glanced at her foot. The horse had barely stepped on it, but it still hurt like hell. "Fine, you freaking horse!" she exclaimed, tossing the brush at its hoof. "I'll go get your freaking mistress!"

Leaving that stupid, stubborn horse behind, Miki headed deeper into the forest through which she and Rin travelled on their way to Azulia. Miki pouted as she made her way through the brush. She should've untied the horse in hopes that it would run away. She hated that stupid creature, and it hated her, too.

"Rin, your stupid horse is trying to kill me!" she shouted, knowing the girl would hear her wherever she was and just ignore her. However, Miki's plans to be rid of the creature came to a halt as she heard the sound of the river where Rin bathed, accompanied by a gentle song.

"_Hurting you with gentle lies  
><em>_I've become closer to you a little  
><em>_At the very least in my dreams  
><em>_Let me call your name._"

Miki paused, curious, to listen to that voice. It was Rin's voice, for sure, but what was it that made Rin sing such a sad song? Miki leaned against a tree, feeling her heart sink a little. Rin's voice was so beautiful, so filled with emotion. She sounded like she was in anguish as those words filled the air. Did she have someone she loved, then? Was she singing for that person, the person she loved? Miki didn't know what it was about that thought that hurt her so much. What should it matter is Rin was in love? And, yet, Miki couldn't get the image of Rin saving her in that village out of her mind. So Rin was only protecting her because she was her charge, then? It had nothing to do with Miki herself? Why was that such a sad thought? No, that was a stupid question. Everyone needed to be wanted. That's why it meant so much, right? Because Rin was the only other one with her.

"Miki, what are you doing?"

Miki jumped, startled by Rin's voice calling out to her. Laughing innocently, she peered around the tree which she leaned against. Rin had her back to her, continuing on with her bath as though nothing had happened. Did she know that Miki had heard her singing?

"Josephine stepped on my foot," Miki complained, disappearing back around the tree, too embarrassed to watch Rin bathe.

Rin's answer was blunt. "Then stop harassing her."

"But you told me to brush her!" Miki exclaimed, frustrated.

Rin looked coolly over her shoulder and stated, "That's no reason to brutally assault her, Miki. Leave my horse alone."

"She was the one brutally assaulting me!" Miki exclaimed, her frustration leading her to come out from hiding and pout at Rin. Then, she let out a squeak of shock and, red-faced, turned away swiftly. She heard the sound of water splashing as Rin moved.

"What's your problem, Miki?" Rin questioned. Miki could feel those blue eyes of hers on her back. "We're both girls."

"That doesn't mean I want to see you without any clothes on!" Miki exclaimed. "Forget it, I'm going back to deal with your stupid horse!"

Rin laughed a bit and remarked smartly, "How you manage to come off as refined upon first impression truly astounds me."

Miki grumbled, "Jerk," before heading off into the forest. She followed her footprints in the dirt back to the campsite. However, upon arrival, she paused. She wasn't sure why it was she stopped before entering that clearing, but she did. Then, when she heard the whinnying horse, she knew her instincts had been right.

Delicately, Miki made her way through the brush, glancing inward to where a man struggled to hush Josephine. Miki slipped her hand into her pocket, drawing out the whip Rin had left with her. She had no idea how to use it, but she knew how to fake it.

Stepping out into the open and taking a firm stance, she questioned, "What are you doing with my horse?" She made certain that the whip was clearly visible.

"P-please, miss," the man stammered, his eyes frightened as he glanced between her and the horse that bucked and brawled, attempting to trample the man under its hooves. "I meant no harm! Please, calm this creature!"

"What were you doing near her in the first place?" Miki questioned, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at him. Miki was particularly wary of men. Most business she'd had with them in the past hadn't been pleasant.

"Please, miss, I'm searching for my daughter!" he cried, staring fearfully at Josephine. "She went missing a few days ago, and she's always loved this forest. We live in a cabin nearby. I'm just a simple logger, you see. Please, miss, take this horse away from me!"

Miki paused to evaluate his integrity and to try to figure out how exactly to calm Josephine. Honestly, she'd probably only aggravate the horse further. Still, she'd learned that, most of the time, it was all in pretending. So, she strode toward the man and horse and, rather than pulling on Josephine's reins, she grabbed the man by the wrist and pulled him back. However, she misjudged his weight and sent them both toppling backward, him falling on top of her. She stiffened immediately, a ripple of panic shivering across her skin.

"Pardon me, miss, I sincerely apologize," the man said hurriedly as he drew away. Miki didn't miss his glance at her hand as he did, though, nor the spark of interest when he noticed that her ring was non-existent. He held out a hand to help her up, but she opted to get up without his aid. If she gave in, he'd never let go. She began to think that perhaps she might start wearing masculine clothing like Rin. However, she enjoyed women's clothes way too much to give them up, no matter how inconvenient they were.

"That's quite fine," she said in a clipped voice.

"My name is Kiyoteru Hiyama," the man offered.

"Miki," she replied. Then, seeing that interest again, she continued, "Miki Kagamine, rather. And my travelling companion is Rin Kagamine."

"Are you siblings?" Kiyoteru wondered, frustration suddenly clouding his gaze with a red mist, which Miki chose to ignore.

Miki giggled and narrowed her eyes slyly. "What do you think?"

Kiyoteru laughed a little and, glancing once more at her hand, now judging whether or not she was lying, stated, "Just my luck, huh?"

Miki giggled once more to please the man before becoming serious once more. However, unlike Rin, she did so with her sweetest smile. "So, your daughter?"

"Right, Yuki," the man said, suddenly looking anxious again. "She's nine years old, black-brown hair tied in two pigtails. I've been searching everywhere, but she's nowhere to be found."

Miki smiled, feeling pity for the anxious man, and wondered, "Why don't I help you look for her, then?"

"You truly would?" Kiyoteru said brightly, incredibly grateful. "Thank you so much, Miss Miki. You have no idea how much this means to me!"

Making a subtle show of winding the whip around her hand in case he got any ideas, she replied, "No problem. Rin and I are all about saving damsels in distress."

. . .

With her eyes still closed as she ran bubbles through her hair, Rin stated, "You can come out, you know. I know you're there."

She opened one eye and saw the little creature tentatively come to the water's edge in her peripheral vision. "You knew?"

Rin closed that eye once more and let the bubbles stream down her face as she cupped water in her hands and dumped it over her head. "Of course I did. You're not as sneaky as you seem to think."

There was nothing but the sound of the splashing water for a while as the two remained silent. Then, the intruder offered, "My name is Yuki Kaai."

"Rin Kagamine," the blonde responded.

Neither spoke for a moment until Yuki said, "Are you a traveller?"

"I travel, yes."

"Are you married?"

"If I was, would I be travelling?"

"Do you want to be married?"

"No one in their right mind should ever want to be married. Why? Are you?"

The child was quiet for a moment before replying, "Mama and Papa want me to marry him, but I don't want to." She was quiet for a little longer before, "He gave me a ring, too. I don't like it, so I buried it."

"That's not going to make it go away. You'll have to run further if you plan on avoiding marrying him."

As Rin ran the icy water over her legs, the child stood in silence. Then came, "Can I travel with you?"

Rin locked up her heart, sent it far away, and spoke only of reason as she stepped out of the water, past the girl, and began to dry herself. "You're only a child. You have nothing to offer me that I don't already have. I have no use for bringing you along. If you truly want to travel, do it yourself."

"What do I have to do to get you to take me?" the little girl asked desperately.

Slipping into her clothes, Rin glanced coolly at the young girl, pushing back any pity those terror-filled eyes offered, and replied, "Prove to me that you mean it. Prove to me that you'll do all you can to save yourself. If you can do that, I might be able to land you a job that will keep you safe from anyone who tries to hurt you. However, the emotional baggage it brings is a lot to handle. Prove to me that you can walk away from the people trying to force this marriage on you, and I'll bring you with me."

"Rin!" Miki called, right on cue. "Have you seen a little girl?"

Rin stared at Yuki, who shook her head desperately. Then, with the heart of a killer, Rin called toward the girl running toward her, "Right here. Yuki, right?"

"You're so mean," Yuki whimpered.

Rin stared stonily at the girl as Miki let out a shriek of triumph and called to someone else. The blonde said harshly, "Everyone in this world is mean. I've met people so cruel that they'd turn their back on their beloveds in the blink of an eye. I'm giving you a chance, Yuki. Can you hear that man calling for you and still run away? If you run, right now, run as fast as you can and come find me tonight, I'll bring you with me. I need you to prove to me that you have the strength to turn your back on anyone and everyone. Even me, if need be."

But Yuki didn't move. She stood there and stared at Rin, begging for help that Rin wouldn't offer. In the end, she was returned to Kiyoteru, and Miki and Rin headed out once more. As Josephine plopped along, Rin and Miki on her back, Rin couldn't help but wonder, "Are you really so oblivious, Miki?"

Miki froze, not understanding. "What do you mean?"

Rin averted her gaze forward and mumbled, "Nevermind."

**Author's Note: This chapter has been half-done for weeks now but I didn't feel like transferring it to my new laptop. Whatever.**


	7. A Storm

Chapter Seven

A Storm

Miki sat up sharply, suddenly awoken by a loud cracking noise. She gazed down at Rin beside her and saw that the girl was still fast asleep. Miki squeezed her eyes shut and let out a small squeak as another crack sounded. Lights flew past her eyelids, and her grip tightened on the blankets.

"_There, there, Miki. You're okay, I'm here with you. I'll never let anybody hurt you, so don't be scared, please don't be scared."_

"Liar," she couldn't help but whisper as she hid her teary eyes behind the blankets. Rain beat against the tent's roof like the chant of forbidden witchcraft. Miki bit down, hard, on her tongue to stop from screeching as bright light blinded her for but a moment and the sound of thunder echoed in her ears. It grew fiercer and fiercer as she sat there, eyes firmly shut. She felt tears carving their way down her face as she murmured, "Liar liar liar. Where are you, then? Why aren't you here?"

She almost screamed as something flew around her shoulders, but she stopped in time to hear Rin's voice, gentler than usual, soothing, "Calm down. It's okay, it's only rain. It can't hurt us. I'll protect you."

"Rin," Miki sniffed as she felt the soft fabrics of Rin's blanket wrapping around her, held tightly to her sides by Rin's arms. It frightened her for a moment when the lightning flashed, illuminating Rin's serene face. It reminded Miki of her mother in a way, and she'd never thought of Rin to be the nurturing type.

"When it's all over, we can get some cake, okay?" the blonde prompted. Miki wondered where she planned on getting this cake from, but she didn't say anything about it. "Just close your eyes and only listen to me, okay?"

Miki couldn't help but ask, "Will you sing me a song, Rin?"

There was such fondness, such tenderness, in Rin's voice. "Of course. I'll sing your favourite, okay?"

_My favourite?_ Miki couldn't recall mentioning a favourite, but she fell silent to listen to Rin's song. Still, the blonde's beautiful, melodious voice filled the tent, pulling Miki into memories of Rin's singing in the river. The brightly-coloured-haired girl found herself immediately captivated by Rin's song.

"_Alone in a room with nobody  
><em>_I stare at the sun going down  
><em>_Overwhelmed by sudden loneliness  
><em>_I sing a melody."_

Miki felt her eyelids growing heavy as she leaned her head against Rin's shoulder. The other girl began to stroke those long locks of hair, and all sound of the storm outside died away to nothing as Miki listened to Rin's song. She'd never heard the song before, but Rin's voice was so beautiful.

"_The nameless song gently soothes my mind  
><em>_My own song nobody will hear."_

And then Rin fell into a hum. Just as sleep was about to claim Miki, a sickly, bittersweet feeling came over her as she acknowledged that she wasn't the person Rin meant to sing this for, and, suddenly, she felt like crying even more than she had when the rain had began.

. . .

"Dammit, it's really pouring," Rin complained to no one as she opened her eyes that morning to the sound of harsh raindrops slamming against her tent. She looked down at her still-sleeping companion and snapped, "Yo, Miki, wake up."

Miki groaned and squeezed her eyes tightly shut, pulling the blankets tightly around her. However, on the sound of thunder, the girl shot up, eyes wide with panic, and let out a shriek. Rin winced and covered her ears quickly, shouting over the girl and the weather, "Calm down, Miki! You're killing my ears!"

Miki froze where she was for a moment while she paused and listened to the air around her. That was odd. No more thunder sounded, and lightning shone in the sky. She didn't have long to ponder that, because Rin was already up and sticking her head outside of the tent. When Rin left the shelter completely, Miki felt complied to follow. Besides, she didn't want to be alone when the next shock sounded.

"Dammit," Rin muttered, narrowing her eyes as water leaked down onto her from the canopy of leaves overhead. "When the hell did this happen?"

Miki gaped, unable to believe that Rin had slept through the storm so easily after she'd sung that song. She informed her companion, "It was storming all night."

Rin furrowed her brow. "Well, that's inconvenient."

Miki stared at Rin curiously and wondered in a feigned absent tone, "Hey, Rin, what was the name of that song you were singing last night?"

Rin, raising a hand to use as a visor and block the rain from dripping into her squinting eyes, turned to Miki with a questioning gaze. The girl must have had some strange dream. "What are you talking about? I don't sing."

The rich girl raised an eyebrow and stated, "Well that's just not true. You sang to me last night, and then you were singing—" She cut herself off when she saw a quickly-disguised spark of panic flicker in Rin's eyes. In all honestly, that vulnerability frightened Miki. She didn't want to think of Rin as someone who needed to be sheltered or protected. Rin was her protector. Instead, thinking of the song she'd heard Rin sing in the river but speaking of last night's song, she continued, "—a kind of melancholic song, but it was nice."

Rin stared back at Miki, thinking the girl was insane. She'd slept through the night. She had no idea what the other girl was talking about. Miki, seeing this, offered, "Here, it went sort of like this." She began to hum the tune as Rin had, and Rin's heart stuttered.

It was a flash of movement, too quick for either girl to stop it, and then Miki was being held against a tree, Rin holding her down with one arm while the other pressed against Miki's throat, applying just enough pressure to tickle the other girl's throat. Miki felt panic rip through her as anger flared in Rin's eyes, a carnival of familiar emotions all joining together to glare at the fake-haired girl. "How the hell do you know that song?" Rin spat viciously.

"You sang it to me last night!" Miki exclaimed, feeling genuine fear creeping up. Rin seemed to have lost her senses completely. It was absolutely terrifying to have that hatred targeted on her. It was worse than the eyes Rin had shown to the one manhandling Miki in the previous town. It was a look that said that Miki was her enemy, the one person in the world she hated most. Her voice dropped weakly, and the storm seemed to disappear from her mind completely. Her voice took a pleading note. "Please, Rin, you're scaring me."

"That song's not for you!" Rin shouted, lashing her head violently before turning that infuriated gaze onto Miki once more as the girl cowered there with no way to escape. She hadn't felt this helpless since . . . since . . .

"_I won't let anyone hurt you."_

Words rang through her mind. _Shut up, shut up, shut up._

"_Don't be scared, please don't be scared."_

Fake comfort. _I _am_ scared, I'm scared, I'm scared._

"Please, Rin, stop!" Miki pleaded, squeezing her eyes shut to block out Rin's murderous gaze.

"'Scuse me, sir."

Miki and Rin both stopped when they heard the young boy's voice. Rin reacted harshly to it, panic flooding her gaze as hopelessness overshadowed all she felt before. She stared at Miki and gently pulled away, the rain washing down her hair. Rin closed her eyes, took a breath, and turned to face the boy.

It wasn't a boy.

"You're not a boy," both Rin and the arrival announced simultaneously. The arrival, a young girl dressed in typically male clothes, like Rin, and whose pale pink hair was held back in a long ponytail, laughed and quickly offered an apology. Then, she fell serious.

"What were you two doing?" the young girl asked, looking mainly to Miki. Upon making eye-contact, one thought raced through Miki's mind.

_Iroha Nekomura: twelve years old, yellow eyes, long pink hair in ponytail._

The assignment was three months old, Miki remembered. She looked to Rin to see if Rin had noted that this was her target, but Rin looked too lost, relief and disappointment being her most prominent features, to have noticed.

"We were just arguing, is all," Miki brushed off nonchalantly, knowing that is was far worse than that but not wishing to tell this girl. "There's nothing to worry about, Miss . . . ."

Miki's suspicions were ascertained when, with a glance toward the troubled companion, the girl said with a smile, "Iroha, Iroha Nekomura."

"Nice to meet you," Miki said with a faltering smile, hoping that the girl would be easily distracted. "My name's Miki, and this is my companion, Rin."

"Companion?" Iroha wondered, the way she tilted her head giving her an immediately cat-like impression. She was definitely quick to forget. She looked between the two and questioned, "So you two . . . travel together?"

"Is that so odd?" Miki questioned in return.

Iroha scowled, thrown off for a second, before she seemed to come to a realization and then smiled knowingly. Her momentary frustration was long gone when she spoke. "No, not at all. I get it."

Rin, meanwhile, seemed to have gathered herself and remarked, "Isn't it odd for a child to be out in the woods in the middle of a storm?" After the shock had worn off, she'd noticed, same as Miki, that this was her target.

"You're still a child, too, Miss Kagamine," Iroha said smartly, grinning at the blonde as though glad to have her attention. Something in the sentence bothered Miki, but she couldn't quite figure out what it was. "Or do you think you're better than me because you've got a job? In any case, the storm finished a few hours ago."

"But I heard thunder," Miki pointed out.

Iroha turned her gaze onto Miki and laughed sheepishly. "Oh, sorry, that was me. I was chopping down a tree to make a canoe with Mizki."

"In this weather?" the skeptic Rin questioned.

The pinkette's eyes were trained on Miki as she remarked innocently, "Well, love waits for no man." Then, at Miki's reddening cheeks, she giggled. "Just kidding. Mizki's my best friend. She's a girl, so that'd just be weird." Without letting anyone else speak, she wondered, "So, how about I lead you guys to Azulia? That's where you're going, isn't it, Miss Kagamine?"

Miki froze. That was it. Miss Kagamine. Miki had never mentioned Rin's last name.

**Author's Note: And so we're on the first target.**


	8. A Bargain

**Author's Note: Important poll up, please vote for the story you want to see updated most often.**

Chapter Eight

A Bargain

"This is my home," Iroha announced, glancing back at the two older girls, Miki sitting atop Josephine and Rin leading the horse from the ground, reins in hand. "I'll grab Mizki and see if she'll bring you to the inn."

"Actually, is there anywhere we could get lunch first?" Miki wondered, earning herself a brief glare from Rin. Still, it was nothing compared to Rin's explosion earlier. Anything was better than that. Rin had truly been terrifying in that moment.

Iroha grinning wolfishly and replied, "Yeah, there is: the inn." She smiled once more, her eyes flicking almost inconspicuously to the left for the briefest of moments, before turning to knob on the door. "I really gotta get going with my chores, so I'll grab Mizki for you."

As the girl disappeared inside, Miki looked toward the left, curiosity pricked. There was nothing over there, disappointingly enough. Miki wondered once more what Rin's job was. Rin probably knew what it was Iroha had been looking at, but Miki knew that Rin was unwilling to share her secrets.

"Don't try to help."

Rin's icy voice caused Miki to jump. She glanced down at the blonde, but her companion wasn't looking at her. Still, it was obvious enough that the words were directed toward her. Miki swiftly retorted, "Like I'd want anything to do with that business of yours." She could only see the back of Rin's head, of course, but her instincts told her that the girl had rolled her eyes. Miki narrowed her eyes to slits with a matching feline smile to purr, "Oh, did you want me to be interested in your work, Rin dear?"

That got Rin looking at her, even if it was an unimpressed, dubious look. Arms crossed over her chest still, she stated, "I'm not a boy, Miki. I'm not going to fall for whatever stupid flirtations you're trying to pass out."

"I have no idea whatever you're talking about," said the rich girl, blinking in fake, confused astonishment. "What use is there in flirting with another girl?"

Rin looked away once more and remarked, "Well, I assume you probably hate men as much as I do."

Miki winced, dropping her playfulness at the seriousness of Rin's words. She'd never heard Rin say that before. She hated men? Why? Was that the reason why she only seemed to have female clients? Miki argued, "I don't hate men."

Rin raised an eyebrow, not believing Miki in the slightest. Then again, perhaps the rich girl had no reason to hate men, unlike Rin. Still, the facts didn't add up. "And yet you're fourteen and unmarried, a rich girl like you."

"Not all fourteen-year-olds are married," the girl retorted haughtily, shifting her position on Josephine to sit up a little straighter. The horse huffed a protest, and Miki would have kicked its sides if she didn't know that that would send the horse walking again.

Rin was still unimpressed. "The rich ones are."

Miki narrowed her eyes once more. Rin really was a know-it-all, wasn't she? "What, are you upset because no one wanted to marry you?"

That was enough. Rin didn't have to deal with this. She tossed the reins up to Miki, who quickly snatched them and stared at Rin, not understanding. Rin kept her back to the brat as she began to walk away. "Screw you. Go to the inn; I'll find you later. And stay inside. I don't want to have to come to your rescue as you try to woo some middle-aged man again."

"W-wait, Rin!" Miki exclaimed, panic rising as she reached out for the girl. She swiftly retracted as she started losing her balance and instead watched Rin go hopelessly, tears pricking her eyes. Everything was scary when she was alone. She didn't want to be alone, she couldn't be alone, if she was alone then – "Please come back, Rin! I'm sorry!" Her voice cracked, and she shut her eyes to forced back welling tears and yelled, "Please don't leave me alone, Rin!"

But Rin felt no pity, not after what Miki had said. So, coldly, without slowing or looking back, she replied, "Maybe you'll learn to think before you speak." And, as the malice coursed through her veins, she pulled herself into a run, drawing herself around a corner she had no reason to turn but all too eager to get out of Miki's sight and make the girl suffer.

Miki watched helplessly as Rin disappeared, horror shimmering across the surface of her skin as she whipped her head in every which way, searching for the dangers of the empty street. She almost screamed when she heard a door open, but she bit it back fast enough that she didn't accidentally startle the black-haired girl who came out of the door Iroha had entered.

"Hello," she said, bowing politely. Miki could tell immediately that she was rich, like Miki herself. "My name is Mizki. Please refer to me as such. I'd appreciate if you didn't use a title, and I hope you won't think me rude if I do the same."

Miki could tell immediately that this was a strange girl. "No, that's fine. My name is Miki, and my companion – she's gone off in search of food – is Rin." She quickly covered for her overly-dramatic partner, feeling bitter resentment flavouring her words. She hoped Mizki didn't notice.

"Oh." The girl paused pensively. "Do you happen to know where she's gone? There's food at the inn, so she needn't go searching."

"There's no controlling her once she's got her heart set on something," Miki laughed, even though laughing was the last thing she wanted to do right now, but that was an art she'd mastered long ago. "Anyway, will you lead me to the inn?"

"Of course." The girl held out a hand, requesting Miki pass the reins. Miki obliged and allowed the girl to lead her. She glanced back once, and she could have sworn she saw a pink-haired girl making a swift departure around a corner.

. . .

Rin brushed swiftly through the streets, fuming.

"_What, are you upset because no one wanted to marry you?"_

Rin balled her hands into fists. That little brat knew nothing. She could never understand Rin's life, everything that Rin had gone through before ending up here. Having a husband wasn't everything.

"Miss Kagamine!"

Right now, Iroha was one of the last people Rin wanted to see, so she didn't stop in her lengthy steps as the girl called to her.

"Miss Kagamine, wait up!"

"_Rin, wait up!"_

As that laugh rang through Rin's mind, she felt a sickening wave of nostalgia cripple her. Her walking came to a stop as the rain echoed against the walls of the empty street. Water washed into her clothing, soaking into her skin and chilling her to the bone. She wanted nothing more than to be home, curled up by the fire. She wanted to be away, far away from all of this.

She remembered vividly cowering in the streets, then a girl leaning down to her, holding out a hand and making offers, promises. Why had she accepted? Because she had no other choice. And now she was stuck with this job. She hated it. She hated it all so much. She glanced at the pinkette who had come up beside her and was talking nonsensical words that Rin couldn't make out. Rin stared at her, feeling dizzy now. She wanted to go home so badly. She didn't want to be here, targeting this poor, innocent girl.

"Geez, you're kind of a space case, huh?"

Rin blinked herself back to concentration, staring at her target as the girl laughed. Kindly, she repeated her earlier words. "I just wanted to let you know that I know why you're here."

Rin stared at Iroha, zoning out again. That song Miki had sung. Where had she heard it? That wasn't a song anyone else should have known. That song was one of Rin's precious memories, memories no one else was allowed to touch.

Rin pulled herself together long enough to question, "Then why not run away?"

Iroha grinned, skipping a little ways away with a small spin. "Well, it would simply kill Mizki if I did, and she won't leave. She loves it too much here. She's happily married, after all." That cat-like grin widened impishly as the girl wondered, "Is that why you do this? So that you don't have to get married?" Rin stared back evenly, letting her face show no emotion, even the guilt that surfaced as Iroha looked away, her grin fading to a sad smile as she kicked the ground. Water spattered into the air, captivating the pinkette's gaze as she said, "I used to dream about being married, you know. I guess that dream seems ridiculous to you, but can't you understand a little?"

Rin knew that she was probably being tricked, but the young girl looked so fragile and innocent that the honest answer just slipped out. "I understand more than you'd think. I used to dream about being married. I still do sometimes." Her eyes were grim as Iroha looked back at her, surprised. "It's just that I'll never be able to find someone to marry."

Iroha stared at her for a little while, nothing but the sound of the rain around them, before she remarked, "I still want to be married. I want to fall in love, be wooed, and then get married." Her smile was broken, her voice desperate, her eyes pleading, as she wondered, "So don't you think you could turn a blind eye, pretend you did your job?"

Rin had to force herself to keep staring at the other girl. She wasn't a weak girl. She wouldn't let this job end in trickery. She gripped her whip, being sure Iroha noticed, and apologized. "This is my job. This is the way I live." Then, seeing that heartbreak and simultaneously recalling how the girl had tried to help Miki, she chose to pay of that debt she owed the girl for snapping her back to her senses before she'd revealed too much to Miki. "But I'll give you three days."

Iroha widened her yellow eyes in shock and confusion. "What?"

Rin ran her fingers along the leather of her whip, anxiety building. What if Gumi knew she was doing this? "If I can't find you after the third day, I'll report back that the job is done. Okay? Use your last three days as best as you can. If I catch you after that, make sure you don't regret how you're done for."

Iroha stared back at the other girl in the rain for silent moments. "If I run away, you won't . . . ."

"If you're gone after three days, I'll let you live," Rin replied, turning away now. That girl didn't know how lucky she was. She wasn't in love yet. She could still run. She still had options. She could have hopes for the future, if she escaped. For Rin, there was no other choice. This was the only life she could live, these endless lonely journeys. "Don't disappoint me."

One word left Iroha's lips. "Mizki."

Rin left her three more before leaving. "Make your choice."


End file.
